TOI Dialogues: Rishikesh–Karnaprayag line most important development of decade, says Uttarakhand planning secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram | India News – Times of India

Rishikesh–Karnaprayag line is the most important development of the decade, said Uttarakhand planning secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram on Tuesday. He was speaking at the second edition of TOI Dialogues with a special focus on Uttarakhand’s development story since the state was born.
“If you look at the rail traffic, most important development of this decade is the coming up of the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line,” he said in his keynote address.
Comparing the state GDP since the creation of Uttarakhand, he said that the state had grown 20 times.
“Every parameter of infrastructure, we have rapidly grown,” he said.
He added that the state performed well in areas where it has not been traditionally strong, citing manufacturing sector as an example.
Talking about the connectivity, he cited the role of Char Dham road in increasing the tourist inflow in the state. He also said that the Delhi-Dehradoon expressway, which is in the works, would reduce the travel time between the national capital and the state.
Prasad Sanyal, business head at Times of India – Digital, kickstarted the programme with his opening address saying, “Today, we are here to celebrate the spirit of this divine land that beautifully blends new age advancements with cultural heritage.”
The dialogue, which was focused around state’s socio-economic development, local success stories, cultural significance and inspirational growth trajectory, was attended by the Uttarakhand chief minister Pushakar Singh Dhami, actor Anupam Kher among others.